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2019-08-22 12:43:23

AMGN

Amgen

$203.13

-0.71 (-0.35%)

, ALXN

Alexion

$118.04

3.17 (2.76%)

12:43

08/22/19

08/22

12:43

08/22/19

12:43

Piper Jaffray says Amgen should buy Alexion

Piper Jaffray analyst Christopher J. Raymond maintained an Overweight rating on both Amgen (AMGN) and Alexion (ALXN), noting in a research note titled 'AMGN for ALXN - Not Saying it Will Happen But We Still Think it Should Happen' that "less-than-mainstream"Spanish publication Intereconomia reported that Amgen is in final phases to acquire Alexion. While the analyst questions the validity of this report, he feels the move "could make a ton of sense, with significant accretion even at $200/share."

As previously reported, Mizuho analyst Salim Syed downgraded Amgen (AMGN) and Celgene (CELG), each to Neutral from Buy, "solely" on the stock's current trading prices nearing what the analyst views as appropriate valuations. Amgen has run up over the last week by about 10% following a "very clean Enbrel litigation win," but the stock price now gives full credit for its Enbrel IP, said Syed, who raised his price target on Amgen shares to $212 from $208. He also cut his price target on Celgene shares to $100 from $103, based on a calculation of one Bristol-Myers (BMY) share being worth $47, plus $50 cash per share and $3 for a risk-adjusted CVR valuation.

08/19/19

08/19/19DOWNGRADE

Fly Intel: Top five analyst downgrades

Catch up on today's top five analyst downgrades with this list compiled by The Fly: 1. Air Products (APD) downgraded to Neutral from Positive at Susquehanna. 2. Whiting Petroleum (WLL) downgraded to Sector Perform from Outperform at Scotiabank and to Equal Weight from Overweight at Stephens. 3. Celgene (CELG) and Amgen (AMGN) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Mizuho. 4. Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) and Peabody Energy (BTU) downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan. 5. Trillium Therapeutics (TRIL) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at H.C. Wainwright with analyst Swayampakula Ramakanth saying the stock's 80% drop in price to 26c per share from $1.32 in the last six months could "lead to a cash crunch," leaving significant risk for its ability to raise sufficient capital to fund ongoing clinical studies. This list is just a portion of The Fly's full analyst coverage. To see The Fly's full Street Research coverage, click here.

08/21/19

RBCM

08/21/19NO CHANGETarget $192RBCMSector Perform

Amgen price target raised to $192 from $189 at RBC Capital

RBC Capital analyst Kennen MacKay raised his price target on Amgen to $192, boosting his out-year estimates for Embrel sales as well as to reflect the "blockbuster" potential of AMG510. The analyst keeps his Sector Perform rating, noting that he still awaits data updates to better assess durability and competitor dynamics.

Piper Jaffray analyst Christopher Raymond is "incrementally positive" on Alexion shares following the company's "strong across-the-board" Q2 results. The stock, however, remains range-bound on "unfounded" concerns over the trajectory of Soliris/Ultomiris and the company's ability to diversify away from the franchise, Raymond tells investors in a research note. The analyst continued to think patient investors will be rewarded and he reiterates an Overweight rating on Alexion with a $180 price target. He continues to like the setup at current share levels.

07/29/19

RAJA

07/29/19DOWNGRADERAJAMarket Perform

RA Pharmaceuticals double downgraded to Market Perform at Raymond James

As previously reported, Raymond James analyst Steven Seedhouse double downgraded RA Pharmaceuticals (RARX) to Market Perform from Strong Buy after the stock's rise to $36 per share from about $5.50 per share in March 2018. While he views zilucoplan as a promising therapy for generalized myasthenia gravis, or gMG, the market is pricing the stock "appropriately" for a drug that appears to be competitive with Alexion's (ALXN) Soliris, Seedhouse tells investors.

07/31/19

JPMS

07/31/19INITIATIONTarget $172JPMSOverweight

Alexion assumed with an Overweight at JPMorgan

JPMorgan analyst Cory Kasimov assumed coverage of Alexion Pharmaceuticals with an Overweight rating and $172 price target. The rating is unchanged and the target is lowered from $179 relative to his firm's prior coverage. The analyst says early switch metrics on Soliris/Ultomiris conversion gives him confidence that Alexion's greater than 70% guidance by mid 2020 is achievable and potentially conservative. This may also have favorable read-through for Ultomiris in other indications that could contribute meaningfully to better than expected durable growth over the intermediate term, Kasimov tells investors in a research note.

08/07/19

WEDB

08/07/19NO CHANGETarget $54WEDBOutperform

Xencor price target raised to $54 from $43 at Wedbush

Wedbush analyst David Nierengarten raised his price target for Xencor (XNCR) to $54 from $43 as he believes it remains a de-risked platform name, no near-term cash needs, and with support for its valuation from Alexion (ALXN) Ultomiris royalties, and a potentially more significant royalty stream from tafasitamab with multiple early-stage pipeline candidates to provide future upside. The analyst reiterates an Outperform rating on Xencor's shares.

Technology & Internet Analyst Seyrafi holds a group luncheon meeting with Scott Gifis, President of AdRoll, a key re-targeting company that is a top buyer on Facebook, Google AdX and a key partner with Twitter, Pinterest, and others, in New York on September 24 at 12 pm hosted by FBN Securities.

Following Apple's (AAPL) Special Event, investors seemed to only care about Apple TV+'s unexpectedly low price, with stocks of streaming rivals like Netflix (NFLX) and Disney (DIS) quickly falling on potential unforeseen risks to competition, Tae Kim writes in this week's edition of Barron's. While the $4.99 a month price for Apple TV+ looks appealing, it may not be so attractive once consumers consider the number of shows the service will offer, the author contends, adding that the small lineup offered actually makes Apple TV+ look pricey compared with the competition. Reference Link

United Airlines stock has been range bound for much of the past year, as investors fretted about its ability to weather the impact of higher oil prices and potentially slowing growth, Ben Levisohn writes in this week's edition of Barron's. But the stock is just too cheap and may get a boost after a short squeeze, the publication notes. Reference Link

Amid talk of a coming recession and expectations that the Federal Reserve is about to lower interest rates again - theoretically crimping financial stocks - it is important to remember that buying stuff that is wildly out of favor, such as Bank of America's stock, is historically a great way to make money, Steven Sears writes in this week's edition of Barron's. Reference Link

Even in a rough year for retail stocks, Tapestry - the holding company that owns Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman - stands out as a flop, with shares down 25% in 2019, Avi Salzman writes in this week's edition of Barron's. The stock's recent weakness, however, opens an opportunity, the author contends, adding that investors should have more confidence in Tapestry's cash flow, which has help up. Reference Link

Amerco (UHAL), owner of U-Haul, is one of the "better-kept secrets" in the stock market as it has virtually no analyst coverage, communicates little with investors, and is run like a private business by controlling Shoen family, Andrew Bary writes in this week's edition of Barron's. Trading at $380, the shares look appealing after having been stuck in a range of $325-$400 for most of the past four years, the author notes. Reference Link

North American railroads like CSX (CSX), Union Pacific (UNP) and Canadian National Railway (CNI) have been Wall Street favorites, but freight volumes are declining amid worries over an economic slowdown and a trade war, price competition from truckers is pressuring rail rates and the railroads last hope for continued profit growth is efficiency gains, Bill Alpert writes in this week's edition of Barron's. However, there are limits to efficiency strategy as evident in Canada, where precision scheduled railroading was pioneered a decade ago on the long-haul runs of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), the author notes. Reference Link

Aimmune Therapeutics announced that the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee, or APAC, convened by the FDA voted to support the use of AR101, proposed trade name Palforzia, in children and teens with peanut allergy. Palforzia is a complex, biologic oral immunotherapy candidate designed to reduce the incidence and severity of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, after accidental exposure to peanut in patients aged 4 through 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. The APAC voted 7 to 2 that the efficacy data and 8 to 1 that the safety data, in conjunction with additional safeguards, are adequate to support the use of Palforzia.

AT&T's (T) CNN will stop hosting advertisements from Juul, which is 35% owned by Altria (MO) and other e-cigarette brands following concerns over an illness that has affected users of vaping products, the Daily Beast's Maxwell Tani reports. During a Tuesday town-hall meeting with CNN employees, network head Jeff Zucker said in response to a question about the company's advertising deal with Juul that the network will not allow Juul or other vaping brands to buy ads moving forward, Tani reports, citing several network sources. A CNN spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Beast that it will no longer allow e-cigarette ads, but will leave the door open to reverse course if research shows vaping products are not harmful. Reference Link

Basic Energy Services announced that T.M. "Roe" Patterson, the company's president and CEO and a member of its board, notified the company that he plans to transition away from the company to pursue other business opportunities. The company has begun an executive search for a new CEO. Patterson will continue to serve as president and CEO of Basic, and as a member of the board, while the company conducts a search for his successor, and will remain with Basic in an advisory capacity for a period of time after his replacement is chosen to facilitate an orderly transition. Once his successor is chosen, Patterson will resign from his position on the board as well. Additionally, the company announced that Julio Quintana, a current independent director of the company, will take on the additional role of chairman of the board, effective September 13. Quintana became a member of the board in 2016. Timothy Day, who has served as a member of the board and chairman since 2016, will continue to serve as a director of the company and as chair of the Compensation Committee of the Board.

Philips has been awarded a maximum $400M fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for digital imaging network picture archiving communications system products and maintenance. This was a competitive acquisition with ten offers received. This is the seventh contract competitively awarded under the open solicitation. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Locations of performance are California and other areas located within and outside the continental U.S., with a September. 12, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is FY19 through FY24 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency.

Raytheon was awarded a $427.3M contract for procurement of common sensor payload systems, spare parts and engineering and system support services. One bid was were solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September 12, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.